Behind The Record (stories about songs)

[Soundofus]

With this topic, I would like to start stories about songs. I encourage you to post here all the stories you know behind songs.
What it has to be :
- Songs being adapted from a song written in the past and not credited to the original author.
- Songs based on a classical piece of music.
- Controversy about songs
What it shouldn't be :
- Covers correctly credited
What is expected :
- No songs posted without a story about.
- No playlists

Today I will start by what is behind the famous song Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin

In 1963, bluesman Willie Dixon wrote a song called : You Need Love which was recorded by another famous bluesman Muddy Waters.
Muddy Waters

In 1966, for their debut album, The Small Faces, British band, recorded a song called You Need Loving, credited to band members Ronnie Lane and Steve Mariott. Willie Dixon didn't get any credits.
The Small Faces

In 1969, for their album II, famous band Led Zeppelin, recorded the hit Whole Lotta Love credited to Led Zeppelin members : John Boham, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant.
Led Zeppelin
The song had a part of the lyrics of Willie Dixon and the way to sing of The Small Faces. As well, Willie Dixon as The Small Faces, were not mentioned or credited when the recording has been released.

Your story now 🙂

[brian_mansfield]

What do these records all have in common?

spotify:track:0aym2LBJBk9DAYuHHutrIl:small
spotify:track:3ZE3wv8V3w2T2f7nOCjV0N:small

spotify:track:02gV5Zc9ctbZxD1uTNIok5:small

spotify:track:2TVxnKdb3tqe1nhQWwwZCO:small

spotify:track:5WyuRWUcOOhAic0tj9Pl28

spotify:track:1e9Tt3nKBwRbuaU79kN3dn:small

spotify:track:2DnJjbjNTV9Nd5NOa1KGba:small

If you guessed the same piano was played on all of them, you'd be correct. It was a Bechstein grand piano from the late 1800s, and all the tracks were cut at London's Trident Studios.
Several other artists — The Rolling Stones, Genesis, Supertramp, to name a few — recorded at Trident. Some have claimed Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" was cut using the same piano, but others have disputed it.

[brian_mansfield]

"If I could walk that way, I wouldn't need the talcum powder."
That's right, Aerosmith's "Walk This Way" was inspired, in part, by a viewing of Young Frankenstein.

spotify:track:5SZ6zX4rOrEQferfFC2MfP

Guitarist Joe Perry already had the riff, but the song didn't start coming together until a break during the recording of Toys in the Attic when most of the band and producer Jack Douglas went to see the Mel Brooks movie. (Perry stayed behind, having already seen the movie.)
"When the guys returned, they were throwing lines back and forth from the film," Perry tells Marc Myers in Anatomy of a Song: The Oral History of 45 Iconic Hits That Changed Rock, R&B and Pop. "They were laughing about Marty Feldman greeting Gene Wilder at the door of the castle and telling him to follow him. 'Walk this way,' he says, limping, giving his stick to Wilder so he can walk that way, too. While all this was going on, Jack stopped and said, 'Hey, 'Walk This Way' might be a great title for the song.' We agreed."
Steven Tyler wrote lyrics that night but was stoned the next day and lost his bag with the lyrics. He ended up writing lyrics we now know on the wall of a back stairway at the Record Plant in New York City. He copied them onto a legal pad, took them back into the studio and ran down the song.

[Jasonzaia]

As it turns out, Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde has a somewhat interesting history behind it when it comes to the production used. Apparently, ever since it's original release in 1966, it has undergone countless remixes, reissues, and remasters, ultimately resulting in some fans claiming certain versions are far superior to others. I have only recently discovered this, and therefore found the version I've always listened to to be one of the duds! Does anyone happen to know what version/year issue of Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde Spotify uses? Listening to this version, I immediately hear the differences, though have no idea which version it is...  
( spotify:album:4NP1rhnsPdYpnyJP0p0k0L )

[heartscore]

Really late 1800? Then they have handled it with much care in the studio, because old grands and pianos tend to get worse and also the mechanics of modern instruments are better. But many people say, that old grands and pianos sound softer and not as harsh as modern instruments.

[brian_mansfield]

@heartscore I think I read the piano was an 1898. It had notoriously bad action. Apparently, that's part of what gave it a distinctive sound (that and, of course, excellent engineers at Trident).

[TyDro]

The Song LaLaLa was recorded in One Take and Edited into a Song. This song was originally supposed to the Outro Freestyle to the Album Mary Jane but turned out to be the most popular song on the Album.  Moral of the Story, You never know what song will be a Hit, so create what you feel. Listen to LaLaLa below and Add TyDro to your Spotify. Thank You!

https://open.spotify.com/track/2SiAm7DCMH2znrwe4N3BXB

[Steampunksum]

Hi TyDro,...
I like your story of the Song LaLaLa

Today I was testing the Myth behind the Song Macarena. It was said by Radio
DJ's in Seattle that should one play all of the Macarena versions back to
back; it would be three days long of play time. One full day here was just
a dent. The song originated in Spain and became a hit in latin style and
was performed in a huge variety of genres all the way around the world and
finally was scored to marching band beats.
The most unique one mirrors "TyDro's LaLaLa." This Macarena rendition is
called "Chacarron... Macarron" by La Yanta! (link here)
If you listen carefully you may pick up the LaLaLa there too! Kudos to
TyDro, heartscore, pentest, crematedman, and friends

[brian_mansfield]

Today (June 20) being Brian Wilson's 75th birthday, I'm reminded that he told me once the Beach Boys' hit "Surfer Girl" was inspired by Dion & the Belmonts' version of "When You Wish Upon a Star" (a song whose original version appeared in Pinocchio).

"I heard it while I was driving my car, and I started humming a melody in my head," he said. "I went home and finished it, and it was called Surfer Girl."
Listen, and I think you'll hear what I mean.

spotify:track:0X3DI3v2RXnOa7JbYolPlR:small

spotify:track:1AJ5F0FMTC3yFU3ocjy1gE:small

[heartscore]

@brian_mansfield You talked to Brian Wilson. I stand in awe of you.

[brian_mansfield]

Well, that sort of thing used to be my job. But let me tell you, he's not an easy guy to talk to. And he does not do small talk well.

[heartscore]

@brian_mansfield Yep. I recognised it, you are a professional journalist, one reason more to stand in awe. As a younger man I also tried to become one after I had tried to become a professional musician, but I struggled to earn any money with this profession. So later I accidentally became an employee for an insurance company and I am still happy with the decision. Here in germany it's almost impossible to get a  fixed job as a journalist, you are just hired per article, so it's hard to feed a family until you probably break through and can work for a big newspaper or the national TV.

[brian_mansfield]

It's getting to be that way in the US, too, @heartscore. I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time so that I could write for a couple of those big newspapers.

[Jpgchief]

In this thread there's three stories that fit with the topic.... 

Mr. Brightside and Maps True Story's

And here one more....

30 Years Later Still Hungry for Appetite For Destruction!!!

[Soundofus]

What about check existing threads before create a new one ? 🙂

[Jpgchief]

Ok.....let me check....